The Effect of COVID-19 on Community-Engaged Homicide Research

• Author: Millan A. AbiNader,Jill T. Messing,Jesenia Pizarro,Jacquelyn Campbell
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/10887679221110814
• Published date: 01 November 2022
• Date: 01 November 2022
• Subject Matter: Special Issue Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/10887679221110814

Homicide Studies

2022, Vol. 26(4) 353 –361

© 2022 SAGE Publications

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DOI: 10.1177/10887679221110814

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Special Issue Article

The Effect of COVID-19

on Community-Engaged

Homicide Research

Millan A. AbiNader1, Jill T. Messing2,

Jesenia Pizarro2, and Jacquelyn Campbell3

Abstract

COVID-19 transformed society, affecting how every sector conducted work.

Researchers, law enforcement, and social service agencies had to adapt procedures

to a virtual space—moving participant recruitment, warrant requests, and protection

orders online. Researcher-practitioner partnerships also altered, halting in-person data

collection and agencies having limited time to support guests, regardless of interest.

While some COVID-19-related challenges will likely subside, the future of these

partnerships seems to have permanently shifted. In this research note, we reflect on

these shifts using an example of an intimate partner homicide study to discuss research

adaptions to COVID-19 and the future of community-engaged homicide research.

Keywords

intimate partner homicide, victim/offender relationship, methodology, COVID-19,

community-engaged research, practitioner partnerships

COVID-19 fundamentally transformed society, changing routine activities, social

interactions, and access to resources, as well as posing a major health threat. It exacer-

bated existing social inequities, increased unemployment and financial stress, and

decreased social cohesion, leading to civil and political unrest and strife (Galea &

Abdalla, 2020; van Kessel et al., 2021; Zhongming et al., 2021). These massive

1University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA

2Arizona State University, Phoenix, USA

3Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

Corresponding Author:

Millan A. AbiNader, PhD LMSW, School of Social Policy and Practice, University of Pennsylvania, 3701

Locust Walk, Caster Building, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6214, USA.

Email: millan.abinader@sp2.upenn.edu

1110814HSXXXX10.1177/10887679221110814Homicide StudiesAbiNader et al.

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